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On March 15, Kansas City Southern’s engineering department will complete a three-month test of a Global Positioning System (GPS) ballast train. Pending test results, KCS will acquire a train to use in the United States and Mexico.

On Jan. 1, the railroad began testing the train between Heavener, Okla., and Shreveport, La., and Shreveport and Meridian, Miss. KCS workers stored grade crossing, bridge and switch data in the train’s computer, which receives location information via GPS, determines how much ballast to unload, and opens and closes a rail car’s doors.

The train will reduce ballast unloading work windows from 24 hours to 45 minutes and prevent traffic delays, KCS said. In addition, the railroad will be able to operate ballast trains at night and eliminate the need for a worker to stand nearby while a train unloads ballast.